18 Facts About Merril Hoge

Merril DuAine Hoge is an American former professional football player who was a running back for eight seasons in the National Football League for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Chicago Bears.

Merril Hoge played college football for the Idaho State Bengals and was selected by the Steelers in the 10th round of the 1987 NFL draft.

Merril Hoge stayed in town to play college football for Idaho State University in the Big Sky Conference, and was a three-time all-conference selection at running back for the Bengals.

In 1985, Merril Hoge set an NCAA record with 2,113 all-purpose yards, an average of 192.1 per game, including a school record 1,041 rushing yards.

Merril Hoge finished his college career with an NCAA record 5,453 all-purpose yards and 31 touchdowns.

Merril Hoge sustained another concussion several weeks later, and had to be resuscitated after he stopped breathing.

Merril Hoge spent 48 hours in the intensive-care unit and was forced to retire due to brain injury.

Merril Hoge had to learn to read again and experienced memory loss, confusion and headaches.

Merril Hoge later sued the Bears team doctor and won a $1.55 million judgment.

Steelers team physician, neurosurgeon Joseph Maroon, had established a baseline for evaluating cognitive effects of concussions, so when Merril Hoge continued to experience impairment after several weeks, he returned to Dr Maroon for a new evaluation.

In 1996, Merril Hoge was hired as an on-air analyst for ESPN.

Merril Hoge injured his shoulder in an automobile accident in June 2002 and had an operation to repair a torn ligament.

On February 14,2023, Merril Hoge was diagnosed with stage II Non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

On October 31,2015, one month after he had surgery to repair an enlarged aorta, Merril Hoge returned at work at ESPN on NFL Matchup.

When Merril Hoge was playing for the Pittsburgh Steelers, his wife Toni, who had previously resided there, did not want to live in Pittsburgh.

Merril Hoge's nephew, Tristen Merril Hoge, was a rookie offensive lineman for the New York Jets practice squad after being undrafted in 2021.

Merril Hoge has served on the board of directors of the Highmark Caring Foundation since the early 1990s.

Merril Hoge ran the Hoge-Bruener-Ward Celebrity Golf Classic for over ten years.